An Historical Overview

The compound maintained by the Sons of the Holy Family contains two buildings of particular historical significance. The first is El Santuario de Chimayo, the tiny shrine that is built on the site of what many believe to be a miracle associated with the crucifix of "Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas" (Our Lord of Esquipulas). El Santuario de Chimayo is also the site of "el pocito" the small pit of Holy Dirt which many people attribute as possessing remarkable curative powers.

Separate from El Santuario de Chimayo but within easy walking distance is the Shrine of Santa Niño de Atocha. The shrine was originally built in 1856 and is the destination of what is a strong and growing tradition which now spans several generations. It is an Easter pilgrimage, originally began by the U.S. soldiers and sailors who prayed to the Santo Niño during the infamous Bataan Death March. These servicemen, upon their return to the United States, began the pilgrimage to Chimayo, where several statues of Santa Niño reside, to give thanks for their deliverance and in memory of their suffering. That tradition has now grown to encompass tens of thousands of individuals of all faiths and all walks of life.